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Challenges We Face


When Jarrod and I FIRST started dating he said he liked it when I asked for his help with some things (like reaching the top shelf) because it meant I couldn't do some things without him. Which worked out nicely for me because I'm the baby of the family and I love to be helped :) 

This is similar to how God feels for us. What would we need him for if our lives were perfect...without challenges. We are pushed outside our "boxes" so often on a daily basis and need Him to help us through it. If we weren't uncomfortable every now and then, we probably wouldn't give much credit to His glory. 

I haven't shared the information I'm about to give you with many people (except close friends) because I'm a little embarrassed about it...given our current financial situation. On Wednesday, we signed papers to own 40 acres out in the country...WHAT?! You say. Yeah...me too. We don't have regular income and the somewhat regular income we have comes from Jarrod going to school...which ends in March. Sooo what the heck, right?

While I was working full time, God allowed us to live frugally and save quite a bit of our income after paying off our debts (cars and school loans). He's also provided income for us over the past year and a half so that we didn't have to dip TOO far into that savings. AND he's given us parents (on both sides) that support our decisions and love us unconditionally - who want to see our dreams come true as much as they want their dreams to come true.

All of those things combined allowed us to buy 40 acres in our desired location with my parents (we went halfsies). 

Amazing, right? It's awesome! It's a dream come true and the best investment we could have made with our savings. A place we can build our lives on, raise a family on, and retire. A place where we can take care of my parents (when they need it in like 100 years) and a place of peace and tranquility where we can invite people to come and enjoy God's creation with us. A dream. 

So of course with virgin land, we are gonna need a well, septic, electricity, excavation, and a house...hmmm.... How in the world are we gonna do that?! Key word - "world". In our world, it's not possible...in God's world it is.

One morning we were discussing house plans and I was trying to fit all my dreams into the smallest box possible (to save money) but it just wasn't fitting...not for what we want - a place where our congregation can come hang out and relax. I got a phone call from a friend and Jarrod and I were mid conversation so I debated answering but I did anyway. My friend says, "I had a dream last night about you and I thought I should share it because I don't normally dream about this kind of stuff." So I wait silently. And she says (keep in mind she has no idea I've been pouring over house plans or even that we've bought this land)...she says Jarrod and I were building our house and I couldn't decide between the smaller table that fit our needs now or the big, expensive table that could seat lots of people that would be good in the future.  She said she prayed about it and felt like I was supposed to go for the big table and trust God. Coincidence? I don't think so. 

We got off the phone, I got on the Internet and looked at the size up of the house plan we've been looking at. And of course it's PERFECT. Every single thing I wanted is in the bigger house...everything. And it's laid out exactly how we both want. So we pray about it and also feel like its what God wants for us. Buuuuut how are we ever going to afford it? I sure cant picture it. 

That's the thing though. It would be too easy for us to go for the small one...something we could afford and build easily. He wants us to dream bigger and feel challenged so that we need Him. We need basically a miracle for this to happen and I can't wait to see it. I know we won't win the lottery or anything like that (seen as we don't even play) but I'm praying for a miracle to happen. I'm praying that we can be great servants for him and that He guides us to whatever He wants...to the people He wants to transform. Not because I want a big house but because I want to serve Him well. I'm tired of my box. I'm ready to start seeing miracles and healing and reconciliation and transformations happening. And I'm praying He will either let us witness it or let us be stewards of it. 

I know that sounds a little impossible and dreamlike, but isn't that the point? We were created by Him to bring the impossible from above to this world. We feel honored and give Him praise for trusting us with this responsibility. 
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